PM reiterates polio eradication pledge

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting children from polio, telling a visiting delegation that eliminating the virus remained a national priority and that all stakeholders should step up coordinated efforts toward a polio-free Pakistan.

The prime minister was speaking at the PM House during a meeting with a delegation of the Polio Oversight Board. The delegation included Mike McGovern, chair of Rotary’s Polio Oversight Board; Chris Elias, president of Global Development at the Gates Foundation; Dr Hanan Balkhy, regional director of WHO EMRO; and representatives of UNICEF, Gavi and other partner organisations supporting Pakistan’s anti-polio campaign.

Shehbaz welcomed the delegation and thanked partner institutions for their continued cooperation with the Pakistani government in efforts to eradicate polio. He said the government was taking every possible step to shield Pakistan’s children from the disease and secure their future.

During the meeting, the prime minister directed authorities to give special focus to polio-hit areas in southern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and called for an effective strategy to deal with the challenge there. The visiting delegation, in turn, praised Pakistan’s efforts toward achieving a polio-free future and commended the prime minister over the progress made so far.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for National Health Mustafa Kamal, Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, and other senior government officials.

SMEDA review meeting

Separately, the prime minister instructed the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority to help arrange loans for small and medium enterprises in an effort aimed at increasing exports.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on SMEDA-related matters, Shehbaz stressed the need to strengthen the capacity of SMEs. He also ordered that farmers be provided special facilitation, awareness and easier access to credit for the processing of agricultural produce and fruits.

The prime minister further called for encouraging commercial banks to develop dedicated financial products tailored to the borrowing needs of SMEs. He also directed that small and medium enterprises be given comprehensive support during the preparation of feasibility studies and at other stages.